The Holders of Life and Death (I) The next morning, everyone was waiting outside the tents for the Emperor to rise. The Imperial Guards stood at attention a few zhang away, ready to escort the Emperor. Finally, he emerged, looking refreshed and in high spirits. Everyone bowed and hailed him with the customary greetings. Smiling, the Emperor instructed them to rise and said to Mr. Lin, “Lord Lin, I like your daughter very much, it’s just a pity… if only she were a boy…” Mr. Lin replied, “Your Majesty praises her too much; whether she’s a boy or a girl, she can serve Your Majesty just the same.” This statement was peculiar, and it was unclear how Qingqing would serve the Emperor. However, the Emperor seemed unconcerned, laughing, “Of course, there will be opportunities, opportunities…” With that, he turned and boarded his palanquin. Everyone bowed deeply, not daring to look up until the palanquin was out of sight.
Once the Emperor was gone, Mr. Lin’s face darkened, and he sternly said to Qingqing, “Kneel.” Qingqing, unaware of what she had done wrong, was frightened by her father’s stern expression, her legs went weak, and she fell to her knees on the grass outside the tent, where sharp pebbles immediately left marks on her knees. Everyone was puzzled, and Qingqing, forgetting the pain, kept her head down, not daring to breathe loudly. Ignoring the others, Mr. Lin asked, “Do you know what wrong you’ve committed?” Qingqing, with her forehead now covered in grass and dirt, stubbornly replied, “Your daughter does not know.” Mr. Lin, unable to vent his frustration, sighed deeply and said, “Do you know that in the past several hours with the Emperor, he could have sentenced you to death several times?” Qingqing broke into a cold sweat, her voice now trembling, “Your daughter does not know where she offended the Emperor.” Mr. Lin explained, “Perhaps what you said to the Emperor was reasonable, but you contradicted him.” If that was considered contradiction, Qingqing would have been better off mute. Mr. Lin continued, “The Emperor has chosen not to punish you this time, but there will not be another chance.”
“Remember, you must not offend the monarch; he holds the power of life and death over us, and could take our lives at any moment.”
